History of Simone Biles in Timeline

Simone Biles is an American artistic gymnast, considered one of the greatest of all time. With 11 Olympic medals and 30 World Championship medals, she is the most decorated gymnast in history. She holds the record for the most Olympic medals earned by a U.S. gymnast. The International Sports Press Association recognized her as the third-best female athlete of the past 100 years.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Legacy & Impact

1933: Al Jochim won seven titles

In 1933, Al Jochim won seven titles on the national level.

1956: Larisa Latynina wins Olympic all-around title

In 1956, Larisa Latynina won the Olympic all-around title.

1958: Larisa Latynina and Boris Shakhlin win most gold medals

In 1958, Larisa Latynina and Boris Shakhlin accomplished the record of most gold medals won at a single World Championships.

1960: Larisa Latynina wins Olympic all-around title

In 1960, Larisa Latynina won the Olympic all-around title.

1964: Věra Čáslavská wins Olympic all-around title

In 1964, Věra Čáslavská won Olympic all-around title.

1968: Věra Čáslavská wins Olympic all-around title

In 1968, Věra Čáslavská won Olympic all-around title.

1971: Linda Metheny Mulvihill won the title

In 1971, Linda Metheny Mulvihill was 24 and 100 days when she won the title.

1987: Elena Shushunova wins medals on every event

In 1987, Elena Shushunova became the first gymnast from any country to win a medal on every event at a single World Championships since her.

1988: Daniela Silivaș wins a medal on every event

In 1988, Daniela Silivaș was the first female gymnast to win a medal on every event at a single Olympics or World Championships before Simone Biles achieved this feat.

1991: Shannon Miller Qualifies for Finals

In 1991, Shannon Miller qualified to the all-around and all four event finals at the World Championships. Simone Biles would not accomplish this feat until 2013.

1993: Shannon Miller World All-Around Champion

In 1993, Shannon Miller was a World All-Around Champion. Simone Biles would later become the second American woman to repeat as world all-around champion, following Miller (1993 and 1994).

1994: Shannon Miller World All-Around Champion

In 1994, Shannon Miller was a World All-Around Champion. Simone Biles would later become the second American woman to repeat as world all-around champion, following Miller (1993 and 1994).

1996: Lilia Podkopayeva Holds Both Titles

In 1996, Lilia Podkopayeva held both the Olympic and World Championship individual all-around titles simultaneously before Simone Biles achieved this feat.

March 14, 1997: Simone Biles Born

On March 14, 1997, Simone Arianne Biles Owens was born. She later became an American artistic gymnast, and the most decorated gymnast in history with 11 Olympic medals and 30 World Championship medals.

Others born on this day/year

2000: Grandparents Caring for Children

In 2000, Simone Biles's maternal grandfather, Ron Biles, and his second wife, Nellie Cayetano Biles, began temporarily caring for Shanon's children in Spring, Texas, after learning his grandchildren were in foster care.

2001: Márta Károlyi National Team Coordinator

In 2001, Márta Károlyi began her role as the National Team Coordinator. She served in this role until 2016.

2001: Svetlana Khorkina World All-Around Champion

In 2001, Svetlana Khorkina was a World All-Around Champion. Simone Biles would later become the first woman of any nationality to repeat as world all-around champion since Russia's Svetlana Khorkina (2001 and 2003).

2003: Formal Adoption by Grandparents

In 2003, Simone and her younger sister Adria were formally adopted by her maternal grandfather, Ron Biles, and his second wife, Nellie Cayetano Biles.

2003: Svetlana Khorkina World All-Around Champion

In 2003, Svetlana Khorkina was a World All-Around Champion. Simone Biles would later become the first woman of any nationality to repeat as world all-around champion since Russia's Svetlana Khorkina (2001 and 2003).

2008: Hong Un Jong Olympic Gold Medal

In 2008, Hong Un Jong won an Olympic Gold Medal. Simone Biles finished ahead of Hong Un Jong in the 2013 vault competition.

2009: Nastia Liukin wins ESPY Award

In 2009, Nastia Liukin won the ESPY Award for Best Female Athlete; Simone Biles won the same award in July 2017.

2010: Aliya Mustafina World All-Around Champion

In 2010, Aliya Mustafina was the world all-around champion before Simone Biles won the competition in 2013.

July 1, 2011: Elite Gymnastics Career Began

On July 1, 2011, at age 14, Simone Biles began her elite gymnastics career at the 2011 American Classic in Houston. She placed third all-around, first on vault and balance beam, fourth on floor exercise, and eighth on uneven bars.

2012: Gabby Douglas Olympic All-Around Champion

In 2012, Gabby Douglas was the Olympic All-Around Champion before Simone Biles finished ahead of her at the U.S. Classic on July 25, 2015.

2012: Kyla Ross Olympic Gold Medal

In 2012, Kyla Ross won an Olympic Gold Medal. She was later replaced by Simone Biles in the 2013 American Cup.

2012: USA Gymnastics National Championships

In 2012, Simone Biles secured a spot at the USA Gymnastics National Championships after competing at the American Classic. She later competed at the U.S. Classic in Chicago, finishing first all-around and on vault, second on floor exercise, and sixth on balance beam. In June 2012, she made her second appearance at the U.S. National Championships in St. Louis, Missouri, finishing third all-around and first on vault. She was named to the U.S. Junior National Team.

2012: Switched to Home Schooling

In 2012, Simone Biles switched from public school to home schooling to increase her training hours.

2012: American Classic

In 2012, Simone Biles's first meet was the American Classic in Huntsville, Texas. She placed first all-around and on vault, tied for second on floor exercise, placed third on balance beam, and fourth on uneven bars.

2013: Kyla Ross posts a higher single-day all-around score than Biles

In 2013, Kyla Ross posted a higher single-day all-around score than Simone Biles, marking the first time anyone had achieved this since then.

2013: 2013 World Championships

In 2013, Simone Biles became the individual all-around champion at the World Championships. She also became the floor exercise champion. Additionally, she secured a World bronze medal on balance beam.

2013: City of Jesolo Trophy

In 2013, Simone Biles competed at the City of Jesolo Trophy in Italy, winning the all-around, vault, balance beam, and floor exercise titles and contributing to the U.S. team's gold medal. She also competed at an international tri-meet in Chemnitz, Germany, winning team gold and individual titles in vault, balance beam, and floor.

2013: 2013 United States National All-Around Championship

In 2013, Simone Biles won the United States National All-Around Championship.

2013: U.S. National Gymnastics Championships

In August 2013, Simone Biles competed at the U.S. National Gymnastics Championships where she was crowned the national all-around champion and won silver in all four individual events. She was named to the Senior National Team and invited to the qualifying camp for the 2013 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.

2013: U.S. Classic Poor Performance

In July 2013, Simone Biles competed at the U.S. Classic, performing poorly with several falls and twisting her ankle on the floor exercise. Subsequently, she consulted a sports psychologist, crediting this with helping her anxiety and confidence issues and enabling her future dominance.

2013: Senior International Debut

In March 2013, Simone Biles made her senior international debut at the American Cup, a FIG World Cup event, replacing Elizabeth Price and Kyla Ross. She finished second behind teammate Katelyn Ohashi after a fall off the beam.

August 4, 2014: Verbal Commitment to UCLA

On August 4, 2014, Simone Biles verbally committed to UCLA.

November 2014: Signed National Letter of Intent to UCLA

In November 2014, Simone Biles signed a National Letter of Intent with UCLA, planning to defer enrollment until after the 2016 Summer Olympics.

2014: Madison Kocian World Teammate

In 2014, Madison Kocian was a World Teammate of Simone Biles. Simone placed fourth in bars at the U.S. Classic on July 25, 2015 behind Kocian.

2014: 2014 World Championships

In 2014, Simone Biles became the individual all-around champion, balance beam champion and a member of the gold medal-winning United States team at the World Championships. She also secured a World silver medal on vault.

2014: Aerial cartwheel

In 2014, Simone Biles had not performed the aerial cartwheel until 2019 world championship.

2014: Individual Sportswoman of the Year

In 2014, Simone Biles was named individual Sportswoman of the Year by the Women's Sports Foundation.

2014: U.S. Classic and National Championships

In 2014, Simone Biles won the all-around at the U.S. Classic and also took first place on vault, beam (tied with Ross), and floor. At the 2014 USA Gymnastics National Championships, Biles repeated as national all-around champion, winning gold on vault and floor.

2014: 2014 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships

On September 17, 2014, Simone Biles was selected to compete at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Nanning, China. She led the United States to its second consecutive world team championship and won her second consecutive world all-around title. She also won gold in the balance beam and floor exercise finals.

July 2015: Signed with Octagon sports agency

In July 2015, Simone Biles signed with the Octagon sports agency.

July 25, 2015: U.S. Classic

On July 25, 2015, Simone Biles competed at the U.S. Classic and finished first in the all-around with a score of 62.400. She took first on the beam and floor, and placed first in vault. She also placed fourth in bars.

July 29, 2015: Turned Professional and Forfeited NCAA Eligibility

On July 29, 2015, Simone Biles announced that she would turn professional and forfeit her NCAA eligibility to compete for UCLA.

November 2015: Sponsorship by Nike

In November 2015, Simone Biles announced her sponsorship by Nike.

November 23, 2015: Deal with GK Elite Sportswear

On November 23, 2015, Simone Biles signed a deal to allow GK Elite Sportswear to sell a line of leotards bearing her name.

December 2015: Team USA Female Olympic Athlete of the Year

In December 2015, Simone Biles was named Team USA Female Olympic Athlete of the Year.

2015: 2015 World Championships

In 2015, Simone Biles became the floor exercise champion and a member of the gold medal-winning United States team at the World Championships. She also secured a World bronze medal on vault.

2015: 2015 AT&T American Cup and City of Jesolo Trophy

In 2015, Simone Biles placed first at the AT&T American Cup on March 7 with a score of 62.299, and was nominated for the James E. Sullivan Award. She also won the all-around title at the City of Jesolo Trophy with 62.100.

2015: 2015 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships

In 2015, Simone Biles represented the United States at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Glasgow, Scotland. She qualified first in all-around, vault, beam, and floor finals. She helped the United States team win their third consecutive gold medal. Despite performing below her usual standard in the all-around final, she secured the title, becoming the first woman to win three consecutive all-around titles in World Gymnastics Championships history. Biles won a bronze medal on vault and retained her world titles on balance beam and floor exercise. Her total World Championships medal count reached 14, the most for any American, and her gold medal count reached 10, the most for any woman in World Championships history.

2015: Third All-Around National Title

In 2015, Simone Biles won her third all-around national title at the U.S. National Championships, making her the second woman to achieve this feat since Kim Zmeskal.

August 2016: Kellogg's Special berries

In August 2016, Kellogg's put the Final Five's picture on the Gold Medal Edition of Special berries; the box showed Biles with one of her Rio gold medals.

September 2016: Spokesperson for Mattress Firm

In September 2016, Simone Biles became a spokesperson for Mattress Firm's program of supporting foster homes.

September 2016: Disclosure of ADHD and Medication Use

In September 2016, after a hack into the World Anti-Doping Agency, Simone Biles disclosed on Twitter that she has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and was permitted to take medication for it, having received a therapeutic use exemption. She was applauded for her openness.

December 2016: Sponsor of the US Navy aircraft carrier USS Enterprise

In December 2016, Simone Biles was chosen as one of the sponsors of the US Navy aircraft carrier USS Enterprise.

2016: Co-authored autobiography

After the 2016 Rio Games, Simone Biles co-wrote an autobiography with journalist Michelle Burford. The book, titled Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance, conveyed the message to readers to pursue their dreams and was meant to pass on the inspiration she has received from others.

Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance

Check it on Amazon

2016: Márta Károlyi National Team Coordinator

In 2016, Márta Károlyi completed her role as the National Team Coordinator, a role she began in 2001.

2016: Shaky performances in the event finals at the 2016 Summer Olympics

In 2016, Simone Biles had shaky performances in the event finals at the Summer Olympics.

2016: Planned Deferment of Enrollment to UCLA

In 2016, Simone Biles planned to defer enrollment to UCLA until after the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

2016: Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year and Champion of Champions

In 2016, Simone Biles was named Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year and international female Champion of Champions by L'Équipe

2016: Glamour Award for the Record Breaker

In 2016, Simone Biles won the Glamour Award for the Record Breaker, was chosen as one of BBC's 100 Women, and ESPN's Woman of the Year.

2016: 2016 United States National All-Around Championship

In 2016, Simone Biles won the United States National All-Around Championship.

2016: 2016 U.S. National Championships

In 2016, Simone Biles won the all-around title at the U.S. National Championships by a significant margin. She won gold medals on vault and floor exercise and also on balance beam, placing fourth on uneven bars.

2016: 2016 Olympic Games

In 2016, at the Olympic Games, Simone Biles won two gold medals in the individual all-around and on vault. She also won gold on floor exercise and a bronze medal on balance beam. She led the United States team, known as the "Final Five", to a gold medal.

2016: Appeared in Tide Commercial

In 2016, leading up to the Rio Games, Simone Biles appeared in a Tide commercial called "The Evolution of Power" alongside gymnasts Dominique Dawes and Nadia Comăneci.

2016: Women's Qualification at 2016 Summer Olympics

On August 7, 2016, Simone Biles competed in the Women's Qualification at the 2016 Summer Olympics, helping the U.S. team qualify in first place for the final. She also qualified as the top gymnast in four of the five individual finals: all-around, vault, balance beam, and floor exercise.

2016: Named to 2016 Rio Summer Olympics team

On July 10, 2016, Simone Biles was selected to represent the United States at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics, along with Gabby Douglas, Laurie Hernandez, Madison Kocian, and Aly Raisman.

January 8, 2017: Courage to Soar tops NYT best sellers list

On January 8, 2017, Simone Biles's book, Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance, reached number one on The New York Times best sellers Young Adult list.

Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance

Check it on Amazon

May 15, 2017: Eliminated from Dancing with the Stars

On May 15, 2017, Simone Biles was eliminated from season 24 of Dancing with the Stars, one week before the finals, finishing in fourth place. She was paired with professional dancer Sasha Farber.

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July 2017: ESPY Award for Best Female Athlete

In July 2017, Simone Biles won the ESPY Award for Best Female Athlete, becoming only the second gymnast to receive this award, after Nastia Liukin in 2009.

August 2017: Relationship with Stacey Ervin Jr.

In August 2017, Simone Biles began a relationship with fellow gymnast Stacey Ervin Jr.

September 2017: ADHD Disclosure

In September 2017, Simone Biles spoke about having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and her use of Ritalin (methylphenidate) for treatment after her medical records were leaked online.

2017: Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year

In 2017, Simone Biles won the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year award.

2017: Return to Gym and Coaching Change

In August 2017, during the P&G National Championships, Simone Biles announced her return to the gym for conditioning. In October 2017, she hired Laurent Landi as her coach after her longtime coach, Aimee Boorman, moved to Florida.

2017: Return to National Team

On March 1, 2017, Simone Biles was added back to the National Team. In July 2017, she competed at the U.S. Classic and won the all-around title, along with gold medals on floor and balance beam. She achieved the highest score under the 2017–2020 Code of Points.

2017: Biles's Named Elements

Simone Biles's named elements on vault, balance beam, and floor exercise introduced during the 2017–2021 quad are the most difficult elements on each apparatus.

January 18, 2018: Sexual Assault Disclosure

On January 18, 2018, Simone Biles said that former USA Gymnastics physician Larry Nassar had sexually assaulted her and that USA Gymnastics helped cover it up.

May 2018: Arthur Ashe Courage Award

In May 2018, it was announced that Simone Biles and other survivors of sexual abuse would be awarded the Arthur Ashe Courage Award.

2018: 2018 World Championships

In 2018, Simone Biles became the individual all-around champion, floor exercise champion, and vault champion at the World Championships. She also became a member of the gold medal-winning United States team. Additionally, she secured a World silver medal on uneven bars and a World bronze medal on balance beam.

2018: Champion of Champions

In 2018, Simone Biles was named international female Champion of Champions by L'Équipe.

2018: 2018 United States National All-Around Championship

In 2018, Simone Biles won the United States National All-Around Championship.

2018: Collaboration with Caboodles

In 2018, Simone Biles worked with Caboodles to create and market products for women with active lifestyles.

2018: 2018 Youth Olympics

In 2018, at the Youth Olympics, the mixed multi-discipline teams were named for gymnastics legends including Biles, the team named for her won gold.

2018: World Team Selection Camp

In October 2018, Simone Biles participated in the World Team Selection Camp, placing first in the all-around, vault, and floor exercise. She debuted a new vault and was subsequently named to the team for the 2018 World Championships.

February 2019: Laureus World Sports Award

In February 2019, Simone Biles was named the Laureus World Sports Award winner in the category of Sportswoman of the Year for the second time.

November 2019: People's Choice Award for The Game Changer of 2019

In November 2019, Simone Biles won the People's Choice Award for The Game Changer of 2019.

2019: 2019 World Championships

In 2019, Simone Biles became the individual all-around champion, floor exercise champion, balance beam champion, and vault champion at the World Championships. She also became a member of the gold medal-winning United States team.

2019: 2019 GK US Classic

In 2019, Simone Biles competed at the 2019 GK US Classic, winning the all-around title. She also placed fifth on bars, third on beam, and first on floor exercise. Additionally, she achieved the highest single vault score.

2019: 2019 U.S. National Gymnastics Championships

In 2019, Simone Biles competed at the U.S. National Gymnastics Championships and placed first in the all-around. She became the first woman to complete a triple twisting double somersault on floor exercise and the first gymnast to complete a double twisting double somersault dismount off the balance beam. She also placed first on vault, balance beam, floor exercise, and third on uneven bars.

2019: Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year and Champion of Champions

In 2019, Simone Biles was named Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year and international female Champion of Champions by L'Équipe

2019: Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year

In 2019, Simone Biles won the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year award.

2019: 2019 United States National All-Around Championship

In 2019, Simone Biles won the United States National All-Around Championship.

February 2020: Laureus World Sports Award

In February 2020, Simone Biles was awarded the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year for the second consecutive year and third time overall.

March 2020: End of Relationship with Stacey Ervin Jr.

In March 2020, Simone Biles' relationship with fellow gymnast Stacey Ervin Jr. ended.

August 2020: Started Dating Jonathan Owens

In August 2020, Simone Biles began dating professional American football player Jonathan Owens.

2020: 2020 Summer Olympics

During the 2020 Summer Olympics, Simone Biles withdrew from most of the competition after the qualification round due to "the twisties." In 2020, she won a silver medal with the United States team nicknamed the "Fighting Four".

2020: Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year

In 2020, Simone Biles won the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year award.

February 2021: Criticism of ESPN's SportsCenter

In February 2021, Simone Biles criticized ESPN's SportsCenter for excluding women athletes in their "Greatest of All Time" picture.

April 2021: Apparel sponsorship with Athleta

In April 2021, Simone Biles announced that she was leaving Nike for a new apparel sponsorship with the Gap's Athleta brand.

May 2021: Yurchenko double piked

In May 2021, Simone Biles became the first woman to complete a Yurchenko double piked on the vault during competition.

July 28, 2021: Withdrawal from individual all-around competition

On July 28, 2021, Simone Biles withdrew from the finals of the individual all-around competition at the Olympics, citing mental health concerns.

August 2021: 2020 Olympic Games

In August 2021, at the 2020 Olympic Games, Simone Biles performed the all-around during qualifications, helping the United States qualify for the team final. Despite mishaps, she qualified for multiple individual finals, being the only athlete to qualify for all.

September 15, 2021: Testimony to U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee

On September 15, 2021, Simone Biles testified to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, blaming "the entire system" for enabling and perpetuating Nassar's crimes.

September 2021: Time 100

In September 2021, Simone Biles appeared on the Time 100, an annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world, for "championing mental health".

2021: 2021 United States National All-Around Championship

In 2021, Simone Biles won the United States National All-Around Championship.

February 15, 2022: Engagement to Jonathan Owens

On February 15, 2022, Simone Biles announced her engagement to Jonathan Owens.

July 7, 2022: Presidential Medal of Freedom

On July 7, 2022, Simone Biles was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Joe Biden, the nation's highest honor given to civilians. She was among a group of 17 honorees and the youngest person to receive this award.

2022: Floor Exercise Skills

As of 2024, Simone Biles is the sole gymnast to have competed four skills valued at H or higher in the 2022–2024 Code of Points on floor exercise.

2022: Presidential Medal of Freedom

In 2022, President Joe Biden awarded Simone Biles the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

April 22, 2023: Marriage to Jonathan Owens

On April 22, 2023, Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens were married.

December 2023: Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year

In December 2023, Simone Biles was named Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year for the third time in her career.

2023: 2023 World Championships

In 2023, Simone Biles became the individual all-around champion, floor exercise champion, and balance beam champion at the World Championships. She also became a member of the gold medal-winning United States team and secured a silver medal on vault.

2023: Vault Routine

In 2023, Simone Biles performed a vault routine that is the most difficult ever performed in women's artistic gymnastics.

2023: Biles returns to competition at the 2023 U.S. Classic and National Championships

In 2023, Simone Biles returned to competition, competing at the U.S. Classic on August 5. She also competed at the National Championships and won her eighth national all-around title. She became the oldest woman to win the title.

2023: Eighth U.S. Gymnastics Title

In 2023, Simone Biles won her eighth U.S. Gymnastics title, breaking the 90-year-old U.S. Gymnastics title record previously held by Alfred Jochim.

2023: 2023 United States National All-Around Championship

In 2023, Simone Biles won the United States National All-Around Championship.

2023: U.S. women's selection camp

In September 2023, Simone Biles attended the U.S. women's selection camp for the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. Despite two falls, she won the first day and qualified for the U.S. Worlds team.

2023: Biles I on floor

Until 2023, Simone Biles was the sole gymnast to have performed any of these skills in an FIG international competition until Hillary Heron of Panama performed the Biles I on floor at the World Championships.

April 2024: Laureus World Sports Award

In April 2024, Simone Biles was awarded her fourth career Laureus World Sports Award in the category of Comeback of the Year.

July 2024: Best Comeback Athlete ESPY Award

In July 2024, Simone Biles was awarded the Best Comeback Athlete ESPY Award.

August 2024: Third best female athlete

In August 2024, the International Sports Press Association voted Simone Biles as the third best female athlete of the past 100 years.

2024: New skill for the code of points for the uneven bars

Ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Simone Biles submitted a new skill for the code of points for the uneven bars, a Weiler kip with 1.5 pirouette. This would have made her the only female gymnast to have a skill named on every apparatus.

2024: Floor Exercise Routine

In 2024, Simone Biles performed a floor exercise routine that is the most difficult ever performed in women's artistic gymnastics.

2024: Comeback of the Year

In 2024, Simone Biles won the Laureus Comeback of the Year award.

2024: 2024 United States National All-Around Championship

In 2024, Simone Biles won the United States National All-Around Championship, becoming the oldest female gymnast to ever win the title.

2024: 2024 Paris Olympics

In 2024, after the gymnastics apparatus finals, Simone Biles wore a medical boot due to a calf injury. At the closing ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics, she was part of the ceremonial passing of the Olympic flag.